Car-door.



Patented May 8, |900.' J. T. NORMAN.

CAR DUUR.

(Application med Aug. 31, 1899 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

Patent`d M J. T. NURMAN. e ay 8 |900 CAR DUUR.

(Application led AugA 31, 1899.'

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Uiurrnn Status ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. NOR-MAN, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-THIRDS TO ElllZA S. GALE, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-DOOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,344, dated May 8, 1900.

Application'iiled August 3l, 1899x Serial No. 729,111. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it 72mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. NORMAN, a citi- 'zen of the United States, residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of'Virginia, have invented new and useful Im provements in Oar-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to car-doors of that class wherein the door is seated in a recess `Io around the door-opening of the car-body and its outer surface lies flush with the outer surface of the car-body when said door is in its closed position.

One object of the invention is to prov-ide novel means whereby the door maybe withdrawn from and inserted into the recess in the car-body, so that it may be moved longitudinally of the car, on the outside thereof.

Afurther object of the invention is to prozo Vide means whereby the upper end of the door -maybe automatically thrown outward beyond the recess in which it fits when the lower end thereof has been withdrawn.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of mounting the door upon the rail-slides, which will prevent the occurrence of dead-centers during the action of the operating and releasing mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby a solid or imperforate door and an open-work or ventilated door may be employed, one to be applied to the dooropening at one time and the other at another time.

Other objects and advantages ot' the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a por- 4o tion of a car-body, showing the door in its closed and locked position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same, showing the door partly open. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale, said section being taken on the line 8 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View of the lower end of the door and the sill, showing the operating-lever for the door in position to act thereon to throw said door outwardly. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View 5o showing the connection between the crankshaft and the operating-lever. Fig. G is a similar view of one of the slotted wear-plates on the lower edge of the door. Fig. 7 is a similar view of one of the slides which move upon the supporting-rail. Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. l, showing a modified construction. Fig. 9 is an end view of the same. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the car, showing the application of a pluralityof doors thereto, said doors being shown in their open positions and the locking and operating mechanism being similar to that illustrated in Fig. S. Fig. 1l is a view similar to Fig. 10, except that the locking and operating mechanism shown therein is like that illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Like reference-nu inerals indicate like parts y in the different views.

The side 1 of the car-body is formed with a door-opening 2 therein, the same being provided with a recess 3, formed by rabbeting or otherwise, and a sill 4, the upper surface of which is inclined, as shown. Beneath the door-opening 2 and extending horizontally is a supporting-rail 5, which projects slightly beyond the side l of the car-body, being held in this position by means of washers 6. At points substantially in line with the upper end of the opening 2 are overhanging brackets 7 S 9, the brackets S and 9 being located at the upper corners of the opening 2, with the base portions thereof projecting into said opening. Also secured to the side 1 of the car is a wear-plate 10, which extends from one side of the opening 2 parallel to the rail 5.

The door 11 may be of any suitable construction. It is shaped, however, to correspond with the opening 2, and when iu place in the recess 3 around said opening the outer surface thereof lies 'flush with the outer surface of the side 1 and its upper corners lie directly beneath and are engaged by the bases of the brackets S and 9. The said brackets therefore serve to prevent the outward movement of the upper end of said door, as will be apparent. The lower edge of the door 11 is beveled to conform to the bevel of the sill 4, so that when the door is in place it will completely close at all points the opening 2.

Mounted to turn in the hangers 12, secured to the lower end of the door 11, is a rock-shaftv 13, the same being` provided with crank-arms IOO 14 14, which extend through'and are free to turn in .sockets or bearings in the end-s of slides 15 15. The said slides embrace and are free to move upon the rail 5 and are outwardly curved, as shown at 16, in order to free the heads of the securing-bolts 17,throu gh which the rail 5 is secured to the body of the car. -By the construction shown it will be seen that by rocking the shaft 13 outwardly through approximately a quarter-revolu tion the lower end of the door 1l will first be thrown .outwardly beyond the sill 4, and then the whole door will be dropped bodily, so thatl To the projecting ears-21 of said sleeve is piv- "otalfly mounted an operating-lever 22, having a. yBlot -23 near its free end, which is adapted to receive a staple 24 on the door 11, through which staple is adapted to be passed a pivotaily-mounted hook 25, the said hook serving to hold the operating-,lever 22, and consequently the door 11, in locked position. In lien of or in addition to the hook 25 a seallock 26 may be employed. On the free end of the operating-lever 22 is pivoted a bail 27, which serves as a handle by means of which said lever may be moved.

It will be observed that the connection between 'the shaft 13 and the operating-lever the-refer is through the lug 18 and the slotted sleeve 19, above referred to. It will also be noted that the engagement between these partstakes .place only when the sleeve 19 is moved to bring one end or the other of the slot 20 into engagement with said lug. Provision fora small degree of lost motion betweenthese .parts is thereby made. This is donein order to provide for the pivotal movement of the operating-lever 22 through an arc .of one hundred and eighty degrees and a simnltan'eous rotation of the shaft 13 through an are of but approximately ninety degrees.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings the operatinglever 22 is shown in the position at which it begins to act upon the `shalt 13 upon its out- 'ward movement-that is, the outward movenient of 'the lever 22 from contact with the door `11 to the position shown in Fig. -4 of the drawings is without action upon the rocksha-ft 13. 'one end of the slot 2O is brought into engagement with the lug 18, and further outward movement of the lever 22 will cause the rotation of 'the rock-shaft 13, enabling said operating-lever to assume a substantially-vertical position, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings. Were this provision for lost monot r'nade the end of the outward stroke of the lever 22 would leave the same in a substantially horizontal position, as shown in In the position shown, however,

Fig. 4 of the drawings, and then there would be danger of vbreaking or otherwise marring or jamming said lever by contact with a platform or other object with which the car came into close relation.

The construction just described constitutes the means whereby the lower end of the door 11 is moved outwardly and the said doorv is bodily lowered. In connection with these parts I have also provided means whereby the upper end of the door will be automatically thrown outwardly simultaneously with the lowering thereof. To effect this purpose, I secure to the lower beveled edge of the door 11 wearplates 28, which when the door is thrown to its outermost position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, abut against the up.- per ends .of the slides 15. The said plates `are formed with slots 29 adjacent to the inn-er surface of the door 11, which slots are adapted to receive projecting lugs 30 upon the upper ends of the slides 15. It will be observed that as the door 11 is suddenly depressed or lowered the same will be brought into engagement with the lugs 30 adjacent tothe inner surface of said door, and the action will be to throw upwardly the lower inner corner of said door, and consequently throw outwardly the upper end thereof. This feature of construction is important, as it enables the door to be moved longitudinally of the car out of the way of the door-opening 2 as soon as the operating-lever 22 has been actuated.` In this longitudinal movement of the door it will be observed that the same is supported upon the rail 5 through the shaft 13 and the :slides 15 and is guided along its upper edge by the overhanging portions of the brackets 7, 8, and 9. In order to prevent Wear between said brackets and the upper end of said door, the front or outer side thereof is provided with a wearplate 31.

In the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings the rail 5, the wear-plate 10, and the brackets 7, 8, and 9a are reversed from the positions in which they are shown in the preceding figures of the drawings. The door 11a is also constructed and arranged to be moved outwardly and upwardly for thc purpose of moving it from its position in the door-opening, and in this respect, also, the construction is a reversal ot' that shown in the preceding figures. The slides 15 fit and are adapted to move upon the -rail 5, and the rock-shaft 13a is pivoted to said slides at the lower ends thereof. The said rock-shaft is provided at a point intermediate its ends with a supplemental cran k-arm 32,which is forked, as shown, and between the branches of the fork is pivoted a connecting-rod 33, pivoted at its lower end to an operating-lever 34, fulcrumed at 35 to the door 11a and provided with a handheld 36, by means of which it may be rocked. The operating-lever 34 when theA door 11it is in its closed position lies horizontally, and the free end thereof iits beneath a bracket 37 on the door 11F, which is provided IOO with a slot or opening 38, through which and from the door-opening and permit the same to free the side l of the car-body in its longitudinal sliding movement on the rail 5% It will be observed that in both forms of my invention the connection between the crank-arm pivoted to the door and the slides which move upon the supporting-rail is at t one end of said slides. This is essential, as theconnection of said rock-shaft to said slides at any other point would not permit of the inward movement of the door into the recess around the door-opening. If longer or curved connecting pieces or links were provided,A it

would necessita-te a movement" of the rockshaft through a greater arc, and this would tend to prod nce dead-centers between the op- 1 erating-lever and said rock-shaft, as will be readily apparent.

In the construction heretofore described I y have provided for the use of one door only. lt'may be found desirable at times to employ in addition to the ordinary solid or iinperforate door a door providing for the ventilation of the interior of the car. this, I form the door-opening at a point intermediate the ends of the car, preferably at the center, and extend the supporting-rail for the doors an equal distance on opposite sides thereof. This construction is clearly illustrated in Figs. l0 and l l of the drawings. The doors Il and il in Fig. l0 are mounted and operated in all respects similar to the door illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings. The door 4l, however, is provided with panels 42, of wire-netting or other open-work material, which provides for the passage of air for Ventilating purposes therethrough. In this form of the invention, however, it is necessary to em ploy additional brackets, beneath which the doors pass. I have shown in the drawings two brackets 43 44, located at the lower corners of the door-opening, which are similar in all respects to the brackets S and 9, heretofore referred to. In addition to these brackets other guide-brackets nearer the ends of the car are provided. vIn Fig. 10 the doors 11 and 4l are shown in their open positions. If it be desired to close the car tight, the door 1l is moved to a position opposite the dooropening in the car and the operating-lever 34 thereon actuated as heretofore described. If, however, it be desired to close the car and at the same time provide for the ventilation thereof, the door el is utilized, the same being To provide for moved inwardly opposite the door-opening and the lever 34 actuated to throw the door 4l inwardly beneath the bracket-s 43 and 44.

The construction shown in Fig. 1l is similar in all respects to that shown in Fig. l0, except that for the locking and operating mechanism shown in Fig. 10 that illustrated in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings is substituted.

y Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new,and desire to secu re by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a car having a door-opening therein, of a bracket having a base secured to the oar and projecting over said opening and having an engaging portion which projects beyond the plane of the car and overhanging said opening, a dooradapted 4to fit within said opening, a support providingfor the sliding movement thereof, and means formoving said door into and out of said opening, the said bracket serving as a guide for the door in its longitudinal movements along the outside of the car and as a lock for retaining one end thereof in place when the door is in said opening.

2. The combination with a car havinga door-opening therein, of a supporting-rail, slides thereon," a plurality of brackets, each having a base secured to the car and projecting over said opening and having an engaging portion which projects beyond the plane of the car and overhangs said opening, a door adapted to iit within said opening, a` rock-shaftpivoted to said door and having crank-arms thereon pivoted to the ends of said slides, and means for rocking said shaft,- the said brackets serving as guides for the door in its longitudinal movements along the outside of the car and as a lock for retaining one end thereof in place when the door is in said opening.

3. The combinationwith a car having a door-opening therein and a recess surrounding said opening, of a supporting-rail on the outside of the car, slides thereon, a plurality of brackets, each having abase secured to the car substantially in line with one side of saidY opening but projecting over said opening at two of the corners thereof, and having an engaging portion which projects beyond the plane of the car and overhangs said opening, a door adapted to fit within said recess and close said opening, a rock-shaft pivoted to said door and having crank-arms thereon pivoted to the ends of said slides, and means for rocking said shaft, the said brackets serving as guides for the doorin its longitudinal movements along the outside of the car and as a lock for retaining one end thereof in place when the door is in said opening.

4. The combination with a car having a door-opening therein, of a supporting-rail, slides thereon, a door adapted to fit within said opening, a rock-shaft pivoted t0 said door and having crank-arms thereon pivoted to the ends of said slides, andan operating-lever for said rock-shaft operating in a plane at right IIO 

